'Dash them!' said he, 'they must
just take care of themselves.' With which laudable resolution, and an
inward anathema at George Cheek, he left off trying the ground and tapping
the ice.
Watchorn's hurried, excited appearance produced little satisfaction among
the grooms and helpers at the stables, who were congratulating themselves
on the opportune arrival of the frost, and arranging how they should spend
their New Year's Day.
'Look sharp, lads! look sharp!' exclaimed he, clapping his hands as he ran
up the yard. 'Look sharp, lads! look sharp!' repeated he, as the astonished
helpers showed their bare arms and dirty shirts at the partially opened
doors, responsive to the sound. 'Send Snaffle here, send Brown here, send
Green here, send Snooks here,' exclaimed he, with the air of a man in
authority.
Now Snaffle was the stud-groom, a personage altogether independent of the
huntsman, and, in the ordinary course of nature, Snaffle had just as much
right to send for Watchorn as Watchorn had to send for him; but Watchorn
being, as we said before, some way connected with Lady Scattercash, he just
did as he liked among the whole of them, and they were too good judges to
rebel.
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